Monday, September 8, 2014

Manga Monday: Chi's friends look an awful lot like her

Chi learns more about both of her families, and the Yamadas learn another hard lesson about having a kitten family member, in Chi's Sweet Home Volume 11.

Note: Chi's Sweet Home Volume 11 is part of a series. Check out the review of Volume 1here, or the review of Volume 10here. Otherwise, read on!Mommy and Youhei are headed to Hokkaido to visit family, leaving Daddy and Chi all alone in the house. Everything is kind-of the same, dinner is at the same time, but something's missing. And now even Daddy isn't answering his door. But look, Cocchi has come to play!

While Mommy and Youhei were out of town, Daddy's been working harder than ever, and now it looks like it might pay off! Some of his friends are starting a new business, and they've invited him to join them. It's an amazing opportunity, one that Daddy doesn't want to pass up. Only...the company is located in France. It's an exciting adventure, but what about Chi?

Perhaps this isn't Chi's only family anymore, either. The mommy of Chi's new friends has been coming closer and closer, and seems to be calling Chi 'Sarah.' Is this what Chi can't remember from before she met the Yamadas?

While there are still a few happy chapters in this volume, the drama between Chi's past and current lives makes this the saddest volume yet. The reader wants whatever is best for Chi, but what that might be is changing. One can only hope that Chi can keep all these people who love her in her life.

Highs: The moments when Chi is happiest, like at the salmon garden party, are still some of the best.

Lows: The balance between happiness and melancholy has been skewing dramatically to the sad recently.

Verdict: Konami Kanata still has it, eleven volumes in, and hopefully she will continue to bring us such wonderful stories about our favorite tabby.